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Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Violation of Polls Code by AL Men EC seeks PM's intervention

With the Awami League men continuing to breach the polls code, an election
commissioner yesterday sought the prime minister's intervention to check this.

"We want more responsible behaviours from those who are in the
government. We want their cooperation ... We would like to request the head of
the government to look into the matter," Election Commissioner Shah Nawaz
told reporters at the EC Secretariat ahead of the December 30 municipality
polls.

Such incidents of violation of the electoral code of conduct will tarnish
the government's image and put the Election Commission in an embarrassing
situation, he viewed.

With the voting day approaching nearer, many Awami League leaders, including
ministers and lawmakers, are allegedly violating the polls code and joining
electoral activities.

Besides, there have been allegations that supporters of the AL-nominated
candidates brought out motorcade and processions and obstructed campaigns of
the rival candidates.

The election commissioner said, "We urge them to kindly cooperate with
us."

"Such activities will eventually adversely affect the government's
image ... So, we would like to request you (AL men) not to create a situation
that may embarrass both you and us," he added.

Shah Nawaz also warned the returning officers of actions of actions against
them if the polls-code violators are spared.

"We think that returning officers are not taking adequate actions in
comparison to the number of alleged violations."

CHATKHIL COMPLAINT 'FALSE'

The EC has, meanwhile, found false the allegation that a BNP-backed mayor
candidate in Noakhali's Chatkhil municipality was forced by the ruling party
men to withdraw his nomination paper.

Following this, the commission formed an inquiry committee which submitted
its report yesterday, saying the allegation was not true, according to EC
sources.

BNP Joint Secretary General Mahbub Uddin Khokon filed the complaint with the
EC last week.

He wrote that supporters of the AL-backed candidate on December 13 forced
the BNP's mayor contender to sign the withdrawal form at gunpoint and submitted
it on their own.

Another ruling party MP, Shawkat Hasnur Rahman (Barguna-2), took a mayor
contender to Barguna from Dhaka in his car the same day.

The EC on December 6 issued show cause notices to the three and the
lawmakers later apologised for their actions.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim and AL-endorsed mayoral aspirant in Sirajganj
municipality on December 16 delivered speeches at a Victory Day rally that
eventually became a campaign procession, according to media reports.

In Chatmohar municipality of Pabna, AL lawmaker Mokbul Hossain (Pabna-3) at
a meeting on December 14 campaigned for the party-backed mayor candidate.

In Barguna municipality, AL-blessed mayor hopeful Kamrul Ahsan brought out a
procession with several hundred party men on December 15 night, halting
vehicular movement.

And yesterday, AL-sponsored mayor contender Anisur Rahman in Sreepur municipality
of Gazipur brought out a procession, halting public and vehicular movement.
Earlier on Thursday, he brought out a procession of around 50 motorcycles,
according to media reports.

The code of conduct bars MPs from joining any sort of election activities
and candidates from campaigning by obstructing public movement.

In the last one and a half weeks, the EC sent directives to the ROs of
around 40 municipalities to investigate the allegations of electoral code
breach.

And at a meeting on Saturday, the commission expressed dissatisfaction at
the ROs' role and ordered them to take actions against the perpetrators.

However, an election expert thinks that the EC has more roles to play to
check such incidents.

"It will be difficult to control the situation if the commission
depends solely on the returning officers. Rather, it should proactively exert
its legal power to check code violations," former election commissioner M
Sakhawat Hussain told The Daily Star.

The Independent, 30 December 2015

All eyes on
polls today

Voters look
forward to historic election under party symbols

STAFF
REPORTER

The Election
Commission (EC) has completed all necessary preparations to hold elections in
234 municipalities across the country today, amid apprehensions of violence,
with a third of the polling centres being identified as risky.

This is the first time that the local body elections will be held with
political symbols, which has generated an immense amount of interest among the
voters. Twenty political parties, including the ruling Awami League (AL) and
its main rival, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have nominated their
candidates in the polls.

Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad urged the voters to cast
votes in the poling centres without any fear as a peaceful atmosphere will
prevail.

He also directed the law enforcers to carry out the state responsibilities
without any partiality during election, and warned action, otherwise.

The CEC at a press conference at the EC secretariat yesterday also sought cooperation
of the political parties, candidates and mass media to assist to conduct a fair
election.

Although apparently it is only the mayoral elections to the municipalities,
this will boil down to a fight between the AL and the BNP, and will serve as the
litmus test of their popularity in the field.

Twenty political parties have nominated 659 mayoral candidates. Apart from
this, 285 Independent candidates are also in the fray for the mayoral posts.
Seven mayoral candidates of the ruling AL have already been elected unopposed.

Nearly 71 lakh voters are ready to cast their votes in 3,555 centres to choose
their mayors and councillors. There are 35,52,284 male and 35,46,860 female
voters in the polls.

Voting will begin at 8am and continue till 4pm without any break.

A total of 12,171 candidates, including 945 mayoral candidates, 2,480
councillors (reserved) and 8,746 councillors (general), is in the fray. On the
other hand, a total of 66,768 policing officers, including 2,555 presiding
officers, 21,071 assistant presiding officers and 42,142 poling officers, will
administer the election.

The EC said it has taken all-out measures to maintain law and order so as to
ensure a peaceful environment for the voters, assuring them that they can go to
the centres to cast their ballots without any intimidation.

The commission has deployed a total of 1,17,304 members of law enforcement
agencies, including the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action
Battalion (RAB), Coast Guard and Ansar.

The EC has deployed 45,000 police personnel, while 9,415 BGB, 8,424 RAB, 225
Coast Guard and 54,240 Ansar personnel will work as mobile and strike forces. The
'general' centres will have 19 law enforcement personnel each, while the
'important' centres will have 20 each.

The BGB has been deployed in 229 municipalities, and the Coast Guard will
maintain law and order in six municipalities in the coastal areas. The BGB will
remain in the field till December 31 to maintain law and order.

Apart from
the law enforcement officials, there will also be executive and judicial
magistrates in all the municipalities.

The commission has directed the police to take immediate measures under Section
151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure against any suspicious person who fails
to disclose his or her identity.

The EC has also banned the movement of vehicles, including buses, trucks,
tempos, private cars, pick-up vans, microbuses, auto-rickshaws and baby taxis
in the election areas from yesterday midnight to 12pm today. However, vehicles
of observers and journalists can be used, with the permission of the returning
officers.

Meanwhile, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday told mediapersons
after a meeting at his office that the law enforcement officials will act in
the field in accordance with the directives of the Election Commission.

“There is nothing to be worried about. The law enforcers will function as per
the EC’s directives,” he added.

The commission has given its assurance that it would ensure a peaceful
atmosphere on the day of polling.

However, violence connected to the elections occurred in some areas, including
Jessore, though there was no campaign yesterday.

A polling agent of BNP-backed councillor candidate Mohiuddin of Ward 4 was
allegedly injured in an attack carried out by his opponent, Siddiqur Rahman, a
candidate of the AL, at a kitchen market adjacent to Shahadat Pilot School
polling station.

Meanwhile, the EC withdrew an officer-in-charge of Shahjadpur police station in
Sirajganj district, Rezaul Haque, yesterday, for allegedly favouring a mayoral
candidate in the municipality polls. Also, lawmaker Gazi MM Amjad Hossain Milon
of Sirajganj-3 constituency received a warning for violating the electoral code
of conduct.

On the other hand, delegations of both the AL and the BNP met the chief
election commissioner at the EC secretariat to express their apprehensions
about the elections.

AL joint general secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif again accused the EC of being
harsh with candidates of the ruling party and soft towards BNP candidates with
regard to the polls. “Our candidates are being harassed at various places in
the country. But the EC is not taking any action against the miscreants as the
candidates are of the ruling party. It seems that the commission is kind
towards the BNP and has become cruel towards the AL,” he said.

He was speaking to mediapersons after a meeting with the chief election
commissioner at the EC secretariat in the capital yesterday at noon.

At a press conference at party president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s
Dhanmondi political office, Hanif also called upon the party’s leaders and
activists to assist the members of law enforcement agencies deployed to
maintain the law and order situation during the voting.

Meanwhile, talking to reporters at the Secretariat, road transport and bridges
minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said, “If we are defeated in some
municipalities, we will not lose our power, because it is just the local
government elections. So, we will not do anything for which the government
might feel embarrassed.”

The ruling AL will assist the Election Commission in holding a free, fair and
credible election, he added.

The BNP’s standing committee member, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, yesterday told
reporters at the EC secretariat that the party would welcome the poll results
if the voters can cast their votes unhindered and the result sheets are not
altered.

Meanwhile, BNP leaders yesterday alleged that mass arrests were taking place
silently, along with attacks on party activists, in different areas ahead of
the municipal elections across the country.

They also accused police of harassing the polling agents of BNP mayoral
candidates, adding that ruling party cadres are threatening them by visiting
their homes and telling them not to appear at the polling centres.

Meanwhile, addressing a rally on the Supreme Court premises, adviser to BNP
chairperson Khaleda Zia, Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, warned that the consequences
would be severe if the government tries to manipulate the results of the polls.